124 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 
destes, the cornflnches. The fifth type is probably re- 
presented by the //iaca of Wilson, (pi. 22. f. 4.) 
The discovery of a most singular bird from the interior of 
Brazil, having the general structure of Ammodramus, 
but vfith the bill of Emberyza, establishes the passage 
from the chaffinches to the buntings: this subgenus we 
have named Lcptmiysc. We long suspected that the 
buntings of Asia and Africa' formed a distinct group from 
those of Europe ; and we have now separated them, 
under the name of Fringillaria. Of Plectrophanes, there 
are only three or four species, the most beautiful of which 
is that which has been figured* under the name of P.picta; 
while the best known is the snow bunting of America 
and Europe. We have recently procured a specimen 
of a very curious African bird, termed a Plocms, by 
Dr. Jliippell, but which evidently belongs to this sub- 
family: its characters, however, particularly in the bill, 
will not permit its being associated with any known 
genus ; and, as it seems intermediate between Pleetro- 
phanes and Pyrgita, we have, for the present, so placed 
it in our arrangement, under the generic name of 
Agrophilus. 
(137.) The AiiAUDiNAS, or larks, are clearly united to 
the ground finches by the genus Plectrophanes, which 
has the bill of Emberyza united to that structure of 
foot so peculiar to the birds composing the present group. 
The form, indeed, of the larks is so peculiar as to prevent 
their being confounded with any of the conterminous 
groups. The bill is still conic, but it is conspicuously 
lengthcnetl andslender; while the legs, exclusively formed 
for walking, have the claws uncommonly straight and 
lengthened, more especially the hinder one. Four of the 
subgeneraare strikingly characterised ; but the fifth, or that 
which leads immeebately to2%ct»-op/ionc«, is still undeter- 
mined ; very probably it is the genus Alauda, represented 
by the common skylark, where the wings are pointed and 
the tail forked ; but in Calendula both these members are 
rounded. The crescent larks of Africa are distinguished 
• North. Zool. ii.;pl. 49. 
